Newsletters

By press release dated April 27, 2020, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Québec announced that for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, legal persons who must hold meetings of their boards of directors, shareholders (in the case of a corporation) and members (in the case of non-profit organizations) can do […]

On April 16th, Prime Minister Trudeau announced a new measure to support small businesses struggling to pay their monthly rent. The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program will be a partnership between the Federal and Provincial Governments to offer forgivable loans to commercial property owners, who can then pass these resources onto their small […]

Normally, when an employer terminates an employee, “reasonable notice” or pay in lieu thereof is required pursuant to Article 2091 of the Civil Code of Québec. This obligation is in addition to statutory notice under the Labour Standards Act. The factors to be taken into account have been addressed in several judgments of the Quebec […]

April 21, 2020 — As with many government offices and legal institutions across the country, COVID-19, and the resulting workplace shifts, have had an impact on the processing times and delays for procedures passing through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office [CIPO]. Below we will provide a clear overview of the changes to take note of, as […]

A few short weeks ago one of the central questions for employers was “how long can a temporary layoff last in Quebec before it becomes a termination, triggering notice pay obligations under the Labour Standards Act?” [LSA] Obligations however continue to accrue and arise even during periods of layoff, obligations that are important for employers […]

As of April 16, 2020, there have been some 27 published judgements rendered by Quebec courts and tribunals that mention COVID. One decision is of particular interest as it addresses the impact that COVID-19 could have going forward. In Naimer c. Naimer, 2020 QCCA 567, Justice Geneviève Marcotte of the Court of Appeal ruled on […]

Everything has changed since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, and it has since become increasingly clear that its impact will be felt across every level of society and industry. Businesses and individuals, reeling from the economic impacts of COVID-19, are wondering how it will impact their various contracts, […]

Designated as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, and triggering the declaration of a health emergency in Quebec two days later, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on all segments of society. When it comes to matters of residential leasing, there are many adjustments to be made by both landlords and […]

For the first time since World War II, Wimbledon, one of Great Britain’s most storied summer sporting events, has been cancelled. The announcement from the All England Club came on April 1, 2020 amidst concerns for public health and safety stemming from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Scheduled to run from June 29 to July 12, […]

The recent declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency raises many questions concerning parental authority and custody arrangements. Two recent Superior Court of Quebec decisions shed light on this issue, affirming the importance of maintaining existing custody orders and favouring parents’ custodial time despite the exceptional situation. Droit de la famille – 20474, 2020 QCCS […]